The Kentucky State Fair celebrates all things Kentuckian by promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement through quality entertainment in a family-friendly environment.

Come and enjoy so many great activities including Marvelous Mutts, the Dennis Lee Show, Wheels of Agriculture, the Largest Pumpkin & Watermelon Contest, Latin Music Fest, and more! For a full list of family-friendly shows and activities, click here. 

Livestock and animals will be at the fair as always for you to check out, pet and observe as they compete! Click here for a full list of animals attending the fair and the Livestock Schedule. 

Don't forget the live music! Enjoy the Texas Roadhouse Free Concert Series featuring performances by Morris Day and the Time, the Oak Ridge Boys, Casting Crowns, Warren Zeiders, and more! Full schedule can be found here. 

Inside hours are:

• Monday - Thursday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
• Friday & Saturday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Outside hours are:

• Monday - Thursday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. 
• Friday - Sunday: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Thrill Ville hours are: 

• Monday - Thursday: 3 to 10 p.m. 
• Fridays: 3 to 11 p.m.
• Saturday & Sunday: 1 to 11 p.m.

Details on admission and parking at the Kentucky State Fair can be found here. Get ready to celebrate Kentucky and summer summed up during the Kentucky State Fair! 

937 Phillips Ln., Louisville, KY 40209

Stomp the mental health stigma this weekend at the Big Stomp! Featuring Lettuce, Bahamas, Heartless Bastards, Doom Flamingo, Same As It Ever Was, plus sets from DJ Craze, Jason Leech, Josh Wink, Mr. C, Phillip Jung, Whistleface and over 20 more national and local acts!

For two days, more than 30 musical acts will perform across three stages. Step off the beaten path this year to find the new home of all genres of electronic music, affectionately known as the Transmit Treehouse.

Friday gates open at 4 p.m., and Saturday at 12 p.m. Grab your Big Stomp tickets here. 

Stomp the mental health stigma and join them for an immersive experience! Together, with The Pete Foundation, they are changing the way mental health is communicated.

8401 Dawson Hill Rd., Louisville, KY 40299

Visit the German-American Club for the Friday Night Concert Series with a live performance by The Killer and The King! The Killer and The King are a tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley and bring high energy to the stage. Enjoy this first class show band built around the lightning-fast piano!

The outdoor grill will be heating up and serving Bratwurst, they will also have pan-fried cheese Schnitzel! Plus, Klaus - the Pretzel Guy pretzels!

Admission is a $10 donation at the door. Kids 12 & under enter free. 

Gates open at 5:30 p.m., concert is from 7 to 10 p.m. Come out for a fun night with great music, German beer on tap, brats on the grill, and more! 

1840 Lincoln Ave., Louisville, KY 40213

Every third Friday, the Museum will once again be open until 10 p.m. Each After Hours event comes alive with an eclectic mix of music, performances, cash bar and food available by Wiltshire at the Speed, and of course art! Come experience the Speed “after hours” as you’ve never experienced it before.

August After Hours theme is: A Night with Asia Institute Crane House

Schedule:

• 5 – 8 p.m.: Art-making in Gheens Court – Paper Accordion Dragons
• 5 – 8 p.m.: Chinese calligraphy station and Origami station in the Atrium
• 5:30 p.m.: Gallery Talk in Louisville’s Black Avante-Garde: Professor Robert L. Douglas with Curator Dr. fari nzinga
• 6 p.m.: Cinema screening of Oldboy (Oldeuboi), tickets sold separately
• 6:30 p.m.: Lunar Lion Dancers & Cardinal Bhangra Performance
• 7 p.m.: Louisville Silent Disco in Grand Hall

Get your tickets to After Hours at the Speed here. 

2035 S. 3rd St., Louisville, KY 40208

KMAC's Vernissage series is an ongoing exhibition preview series, where you can be one of the first people to experience the new exhibitions!

This Vernissage will celebrate work by Nick Doyle and Marisa Adesman.

Marisa Adesman presents The Birth of Flowers, a solo show that will run from August 19th through October 29th. Using the visual language of old-time magic, Adesman depicts her households loaded with trap doors, pulleys, hidden pathways, gravity defying displays, and gestures towards invisibility. 

Nick Doyle presents Old Roads and Broken Records, a solo show that will run from August 19th through October 29th. For his first museum solo exhibition, Doyle created a new set of denim covered sculptural wall works alongside two large installations of theatrical scenery, and a new contraption in his ongoing, darkly humorous series of “executive toys.”

This event is free and open to the public. 

715 W. Main St., Louisville, KY 40202

The 10th annual Bourbon Mixer is the go-to bourbon event for both novices and connoisseurs. The event is a collaboration between two of Louisville's most spirited groups: the Bourbon Brotherhood and the Whisky Chicks. 

Guests can shake their groove thing with music, dancing, hearty food, and bourbon tastings from more than 20 craft and global distillery brands.

Browse the 100+ item online auction, with 100% of proceeds fueling the mission of the Coalition for the Homeless. Raffle tickets are limited to the first 1,000 tickets purchased. Purchase your raffle tickets here. 

Get your tickets to the Bourbon Mixer here. And don't forget to dress in your best disco attire!

3701 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY 40207

The 3rd Annual Reggae Reunion at the Park celebrating Jamaica independence, and Trinidad & Tobago independence with authentic Caribbean & festival food is this Saturday! The event features reggae, Soca, dancehall & Afrobeats music from Universal Xpression and additional DJ's. 

The event will also feature a vendor market, playground for children, and beautiful, outdoor setting by the Ohio River at Carrie Gaulbert Cox Park.

This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. 

Then join the Reggae Reunion at the Park After Party at Addis Bar & Grill starting at 9:30 p.m.! Enjoy fun, live music by Marley Shirts & Sexy Skirts. Addis Bar & Grill is located at 109 S. 4th St.

3730 River Rd., Louisville, KY 40207

This Saturday, check out the MERF Bike Night featuring Van Waylon with special guest Red Belly Rock Club! This event, at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, is open to the public. Music and good times are free, BBQ is $20 per plate!

All bikes are welcome! BBQ is provided by Slab Daddys. There will be awesome door prizes from MERF and Harley Davidson. 

All proceeds benefit MERF, the Musicians’ Emergency Resource Foundation Inc.

3501 College Dr., Louisville, KY 40299

Hi-Wire Brewing is celebrating two years in Louisville with everything Louisville! Join them in the taproom all day this Saturday for their 2nd Anniversary Party!

Enjoy plenty of great, local vendors, beer from other local breweries, and local DJ Champagne Bangers! 

Come out and celebrate two great years with Hi-Wire! This event is open to the public. 

642 Baxter Ave., Louisville, KY 40204

The USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience is coming to Louisville! This August, explore a Louisville culinary adventure that celebrates the best local food and drink. 

Taste foods from acclaimed local chefs, emerging talent and culinary leaders. Sip premier wine, beer and spirits from the best mixologists and sommeliers. Savor the experience with live demonstrations and music in an elevated afternoon with friends. Don’t miss the USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience!

This event is 21 and up only. 

Get tickets here. 

1101 River Rd., Louisville, KY 40202

Bark & Brunch by the Bridge is a pop-up food truck experience that invites park and pet lovers to enjoy their Sundays at Waterfront Park!

The event series will feature local food trucks, vendors, a bubbly bar, and jazz music. Bring your friends, your pet, a blanket, an appetite and have brunch on the Big Four Lawn. This event directly supports two wonderful non-profits, the Kentucky Humane Society and Waterfront Park!

Food trucks include:

• Lil Cheezers
• The Cocktail Truck

If you’re interested in being a food vendor, please contact Adam Nugent adam@festivalcuisine.com

1101 River Rd., Louisville, KY 40202

The Peterson Dumesnil House will host the Concert Under the Cupola on Sunday featuring live music by Keltricity!

Keltricity is a Celtic World band that features contemporary, traditional and eclectic Celtic music. Their passion for music from the Celtic nations extends to providing the sounds for prestigious English Country and Vintage Dance groups with feet-moving repertoire that spans centuries.

Bring a blanket and enjoy some free live music outside with neighbors!

301 S. Peterson Ave., Louisville, KY 40206

Join Copper & Kings Distillery for their summer concert series, Sonic Sundays. Located in the amazing outdoor courtyard, this event boasts live music on the third Sunday of every month through September.

Live music, delicious eats from the courtyard kitchen, tasty Copper & Kings cocktails, yard games, and vendors.

Since the winter of 2017, Dark Moon Hollow has seen numerous members come and go from notable projects all over the Bluegrass State. Originally forming from improv jams in kitchens, living rooms, etc. late into the Lexington nights, a core was formed and brought to stages in various forms over the next 5 years.

Acclaimed Cariblujazz (Carribean-Blues-Jazz) artist Mark “Big Poppa” Stampley, is a popular recording and performing artist, born in Chicago, and now based in Louisville, KY. 

Get your tickets to Sonic Sundays here. 

1121 E. Washington St., Louisville, KY 40206

Louisville Wing Week is seven days of paying homage to the wing. Each participating Louisville Wing Week restaurant will fry up their own take on the wing - from signature sauces to secret menu specialties and more.

Let the Wing Week App take you on a Louisville exploration; map out your week, try new restaurants, challenge your taste buds, and share your experiences on social with other Louisville wing lovers.

Participating restaurants include Agave & Rye, Dundee Tavern, Fistful of Ale, La Suerte, Spring Street Bar & Grill, Great Flood Brewing Co., and many more! Learn more and check out the full list here. 

Various locations

Enjoy the beauty of Iroquois Amphitheatre all summer long during the Iroquois Park Free Movie Night! The upcoming free movie is Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) rated PG-13, on August 23rd. 

Gates open at 7:30 p.m. for concessions and door prizes.

All upcoming free movie nights:

• August 31: Goldfinger (PG) 8 p.m.
• September 6: Star Trek: Into Darkness (PG-13) 8 p.m.
• September 13: Pokémon: The First Movie-Mewtwo Strikes Back (G) 8 p.m.
• September 20: Godzilla (NR) 7:30 p.m.
• September 27: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R) 7:30 p.m.

1080 Amphitheater Rd., Louisville, KY 40214

Nature Connects is an award-winning exhibition showcasing sculptures and exhibits created by artist Sean Kenney, and it is currently being displayed at the Louisville Zoo. His sculptures, made with simple LEGO toys, explore the interconnectedness of our natural world. Sean’s enormous and precise structures offer a playful twist on traditional sculptural art, making it accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. 

The Louisville Zoo provides a unique and stunning backdrop for Sean’s artwork, creating an unforgettable experience for visitors. The exhibition, which features 16 sculptures made from more than 500,000 LEGO bricks, will leave you in awe and inspire a deeper connection to the natural world. Nature Connects encourages visitors to appreciate and understand the complex connections between humans and nature, while also enjoying the playful and imaginative world of LEGO bricks.

Nature Connects at the Louisville Zoo is FREE with Zoo admission. Purchase your Louisville Zoo tickets here.

1100 Trevilian Way, Louisville, KY 40213

Visit beautiful Colonial Gardens this summer during the Summer in the Gardens series! 

The next opportunity to groove on the Patio is August 25th with the "Summer in the Gardens" radio show/live band, 5 to 7 p.m., followed by The Last Band Standing! There are several more to enjoy on the patio the rest of the summer as well as great bands and performers all summer long at Iroquois Amphitheater! 

To view the full list of performances at Summer in the Gardens, click here. 

818 W. Kenwood Dr., Louisville, KY 40214

Each Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. experience Food Truck Wednesdays at 4th Street between Jefferson and Market Streets! Louisville Downtown Partnership has curated many amazing food trucks to serve lunchtime patrons each Wednesday!

The street will be closed off to vehicular traffic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each week. Food trucks will serve food from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Come on over to 4th Street and eat some delicious, local food!

S. 4th St. between Jefferson and Market, Louisville, KY

The Food Truck Clinic is a one-stop-shop where food and beverage vendors can get the green light from the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, Louisville Division of Fire and Jefferson County Fire Service, and Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to legally sell food and drinks to the public.

Every Thursday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., from now until Oct. 19, food trucks and other mobile vendors can stop by the alley at Armory Place, behind the Metro Development Center to get their permits to operate.

The Food Truck Clinic not only benefits vendors, but community members, too. Each Thursday, the public is invited to the clinic to enjoy food and beverages after food trucks get the go ahead to open.

444 S. 5th St., Louisville, KY 40202

August

• St. James Community Picnic, August 26th, 401 Robinbrook Blvd.